The Last Advertising Podcast

Nancy Reyes didn’t plan on advertising. In fact, she walked into her first agency job thinking she’d be a writer and walked out an account person. Now she’s the global president and CEO of BBDO, steering one of the biggest names in the game toward bigger, bolder, weirder ideas. We talk breaking in through a fifth grade scholarship program, why she loves a fixer upper agency, the problem with “advertising equals TV,” and why AI won’t replace you unless you let it. Plus, she confesses her Love Island habit.

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Gabriel Schmitt, Global Chief Creative Officer at Grey, joins us to share his journey from getting fired at 19 to leading a global agency network. He reveals how a Sharpie campaign won his first Cannes Gold Lion and changed his career forever. Gabriel breaks down how he leads creative teams, his 20% rule for staying irreplaceable, and why he believes clarity is a creative’s superpower. This is a must-listen for anyone looking to break into advertising and stay at the top.

Brooke Brown didn’t follow a straight path to the top. From public transit marketing to agency life, to becoming SVP and Head of Brand and Creative at US Bank, her career is built on unexpected moves and smart risks. In this episode, Brooke shares how secret shopping led her to a job, why she left jobs everyone wanted, and how she built one of the highest-performing brand campaigns in the company’s history. Plus, advice for creatives, strategists, and marketers on how to collaborate with ease and lead without burning out.

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🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
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Davis Priestley knew early on he wanted to tell stories. In this episode, he unpacks his unconventional path into the industry, from early film sets to founding Revery, the global storytelling studio behind campaigns for Google Play, Delta, and Disney. He and Geno talk craft, leadership, values-driven work, and why the future belongs to creators who think beyond the brief.

More from Breaking and Entering Media:

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✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/

📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/

🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
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Lorenzo Costa didn’t wait for permission to build a new kind of agency. He just started.

At 25, he’s already the CEO of Link Creative, a Chicago-based shop that's turning legacy brands into digital natives. In this episode, we talk about building in-house intentionally, why your own brand should be your best client, and how DJing laid the groundwork for agency leadership. It’s a crash course in content-led growth, Gen Z hustle, and rejecting the traditional agency blueprint. For anyone looking to just go for it, this one’s for you.

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✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/

📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/

🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
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Chad Waetzig, CMO of Crunch Fitness, joins us to talk scaling a fitness empire, redefining gym culture, and making serious fitness fun. From P&G finance to brand building across 500 locations, Chad shares how he broke in, leveled up, and why your abs don’t need abs to feel good here.

Also covered: crashing cars, MBA myths, and why marketing isn’t just ads.

More from Breaking and Entering Media:

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✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
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📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
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🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
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Frances Webster co-founded Walrus, won Breeze without pitching, and invented a mint strong enough for your boss’s boss. She calls it calculated misbehavior. We call it a heist. In this episode, she talks business mints, chicken festivals, heli-skiing, and the art of getting brands to notice you. Plus, how to break into advertising with grit and a whole bunch of big ideas.

More from Breaking and Entering Media:

💼 Follow on LinkedIn
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✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
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📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/

🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
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Ad Age reporters Ewan “eScoops” Larkin and Brian Bonilla join the pod to break down the biggest stories shaking the ad world. We Cover AOR obits to AI panic to the rise of indie agencies. They share how they tag-team breaking news, pitch their dream merch line (Br-Ewan hats, anyone?), and go head-to-head in an "overrated vs underrated" showdown.

And... happy belated birthday to Ewan. He spent it dodging Cannes parties and press releases.

More from Breaking and Entering Media:

💼 Follow on LinkedIn
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📖 Read our Publications
https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog

💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe
https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei

✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/

📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/

🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
https://www.crowbarawards.com/

🤝 Work With Us
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From denim icons to malfunctioning ovens, Kathy Collins has seen it all. The CRO of Frontdoor Inc. sits down with us to talk about building brands that stick, why creativity still drives revenue, and how to break out of the home warranty echo chamber. She walks us through the Warentina campaign with Rachel Dratch, lessons from her days at H&R Block and Lee Jeans, and that one time she flew on a private jet with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

More from Breaking and Entering Media:

💼 Follow on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/breaking-entering-podcast/

📖 Read our Publications
https://www.breaking-entering.com/blog

💬 Join our Unlocked GroupMe
https://groupme.com/join_group/102437585/xg5Z5tei

✉️ Subscribe to The Vault
https://breakingandenteringadv.substack.com/

📹 Subscribe to our :60 Advertising News Videos
https://breakingandentering.beehiiv.com/

🏆 Check out the Crowbar Awards to break into advertising
https://www.crowbarawards.com/

🤝 Work With Us
[email protected]

Mike Kurtz, founder of Mike’s Hot Honey, joins Breaking & Entering News as the brand launches its first national advertising campaign. After 15 years of grassroots growth and a dedicated fan base, Mike’s Hot Honey is expanding with “Drizzle the Mike’s,” a cross-platform campaign from agencies, Another Thing and Noble People. Mike talks about the brand’s origins, building a cult following, and making the move to national advertising.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:12 Getting to Know Mike Kurtz
01:55 Mike's Early Life and Career Aspirations
08:14 The Birth of Mike's Hot Honey
09:36 From Hobby to Business
10:05 Pizza Apprenticeship and Early Sales
14:30 Going Full-Time with Mike's Hot Honey
17:56 Branding and Packaging Evolution
21:44 Organic Growth and Media Attention
23:46 Partnerships and Expanding Uses
25:30 Unusual Uses for Mike's Hot Honey
26:18 Introducing the New Campaign
26:34 Behind the Scenes: Creating the Campaign
28:02 Shooting in LA: Location and Casting
29:51 Golden Girls Spot: Concept and Execution
34:13 Pizza Guys Spot: Concept and Execution
35:51 Campaign Rollout and Media Plan
37:52 Pizza Talk: Regional Styles and Favorites
46:32 Final Thoughts and Gratitude

🔗 Links
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🤝 Work With Us
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